LaLiga - Matchday 14 - 04/12/2016 20:45h

Valencia concede late equaliser against Malaga

December, 04 2016 -

Valencia CF conceded a last gasp equaliser to draw 2-2 with Malaga CF after they had earlier taken the lead through goals from Rodrigo Moreno and Álvaro Medrán on Sunday.

Pablo Fornals put Malaga ahead early on before Valencia CF hit back quickly with Rodrigo glancing a cross from Dani Parejo in and the latter was again the provider for Medrán after 34 minutes.

It was a slender advantage though and right at the end Fornals got his second of the game.

Valencia looked to build on their victory over Leganés in the cup last Tuesday and played a similar formation with an unchanged three at the back while Siqueira came in on the left of the five-man midfield for the injured José Luis Gayà and Joao Cancelo also returned on the right. In attack Rodrigo came back in alongside Munir El Haddadi who has been in a strong run of goalscoring form.

The blanquinegros suffered a blow just after the off when the ball fell to Fornals on the edge of the area and he hit an excellent effort into the corner with Diego Alves unable to do anything about it.

Valencia quickly hit back though with Parejo guiding an inch perfect free-kick from the right wing and Rodrigo stretching slotted it past keeper Denys Boyko.

It was a fairly even contest but Valencia shaded the possession in midfield and they had more of a cutting edge especially with Rodrigo looking sharp and with plenty of energy.

Parejo as usual was a constant threat with set-plays and he swung in another free-kick very close to that for the equalising goal but this time no one was able to get on the end of it. Rodrigo also combined well with Munir and after a one-two the latter tried to spin in the box but wasn’t quite able to take the ball with him.

It was not all one way though and Ontiveros fired over after a run down the right for Malaga.

Munir flicked a Cancelo cross at full-stretch but the ball was too close to Boyko who gathered and then the second goal did come.

Before half-time Siqueira did well to clear the ball off the line after another dangerous strike from Fornals and then Ignacio Camacho fired over the cross bar as they too threatened.

Valencia looked to soak up the Malaga pressure and hit them on the break which they were doing effectively as the visitors did have a lot of the ball but they found it difficult to create chances. In earlier matches this season the team has looked to continue playing their football and push even when they are in the lead, while this was a strategy to make them more secure but still on occasions they did attack as a group and left themselves open on the break.

The equaliser came with practically the final touch as Fornals fired into the corner from the centre of the penalty area after Youssef En-Nesyri had held the ball up for him.

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Photographs by Lázaro de la Peña, re-use is not permitted.